Much to Jobeth’s joy, she finally gave birth to a son. They named him Alan-Michael after both Alan and Jobeth’s father.
With the birth of her boy, Jobeth felt a sense of peace she had not had since the death of her first born.
Oliver and Shawna kept in constant touch. Ten months after they were married, their first child Daniel was born. He was nearly two years old and Jobeth could hardly wait to see him. Her little Shawna was a mother. She had received small portraits of Daniel, but she craved to see the child in person. Shawna and Oliver were going to pay them a visit for the first time since their marriage with special news for Alan and Jobeth.
The day Shawna and Oliver were to arrive, Jobeth was busy in the kitchen cooking a special dinner that Shawna loved.
“Mama!” Joanna stormed through the kitchen as angry as could be. “You better teach that girl some manners.”
Annoyed, Jobeth turned to her daughter. Joanna looked so much like Jobeth: tall and lean.
“What girl?” Jobeth asked, disturbed. Shawna and Oliver would be there any moment. She didn’t need to have another confrontation with this child.
“Mara-Joy is behind the barn with that Frank Perkins’ boy.” Her face was all screwed up in rage. All the children were outside playing in the hot summer sun.
“What?” Jobeth yelled, glaring at her child. Quickly, she poured a pot of water from the pump in the kitchen. “Stay in here and keep an eye on the babies. They are going to wake up soon,” Jobeth ordered, not looking at Joanna as she raced to the front door.
The bucket slopped water over its rim as she ran, splashing Jobeth’s skirt.
Joanna stood still, unable to move as she watched her mother leave, trailing water behind her.
She reached the barn in no time and could hear giggling, both male and female. Horrible thoughts coursed through her mind of what could be happening behind the barn door.
Jobeth quickened her steps in the direction of the giggles. She was just about to throw the bucket of water over the two children when she saw what was happening.
Mara-Joy and the neighbor boy, Frank, were making dandelion jewelry, putting the flower bracelets on each other’s arms and heads.
Mara-Joy spotted her mother and stood up, giving her one of her winning smiles.
“Hi, Mama,” she tittered, her dark curls cascading into her deep blue eyes. She absently brushed a tendril out of her eyes. “What is wrong?” she asked innocently, looking at Jobeth with her sweetest smile. “Am I not allowed to have my boyfriend over?”
“Your boyfriend?” It was as though Mara-Joy could read Jobeth’s mind and knew what Jobeth had planned to do with the bucket of water.
“Yes. I am ten now. I think I am old enough to have one. What do you think?” Mara-Joy spoke while trying to put a bracelet of flowers around her wrist.
“Well, I don’t think Pappy would agree with you, young lady,” Jobeth looked at the beautiful young girl. The older she got, the more beautiful she became.
Her long black hair tumbled in loose curls down her back and her striking blue eyes seemed to pierce through anyone she looked at. You could not help but stare at the exquisite child.
“Why don’t you ask Frank for dinner tonight? He can meet your Uncle Oliver and Shawna.”
“Don’t forget Daniel, Mama!” Mara-Joy squealed, clutching her hands to her flat chest.
“Never.” Jobeth laughed and felt foolish. How could she have thought her precious Mara-Joy could be up to anything wrong?
“Mama?”
“Yes, my dearest?” Jobeth answered, getting ready to leave. Mara-Joy stood beside the handsome redheaded boy.
“Why do you have that pot?” Mara-Joy seemed confused, her dark brows weaving together.
“No reason, go back to playing with Frank.” Jobeth turned away, embarrassed.
Mara-Joy shrugged her shoulders, and pulled Frank by the arm back to their dandelions.
“Why did you lie like that to get your sister in trouble?” Jobeth yelled furiously as she entered the house. Joanna jumped from where she stood, stirring food over the stove. Pauline was beside her, watching her big sister. She too jumped, startled by her mother’s outburst. Instantly she began to whimper.
Alan-Michael began to stir on the couch where he had been sleeping.
“I wasn’t lying,” Joanna pouted, forcing herself not to cry. “She was in back,” Joanna stalled. Her mother would never believe her now. Mara-Joy had the upper hand once again. The girl sighed dejectedly. “She was doing things she was not supposed to be doing. You told her to watch Constance and she was not doing that.”
“Joanna,” Jobeth shook her head and went to her crying girls, “why you make such a big deal of things, I will never know. Girls, I am sorry that I got so mad.” Jobeth bent down and hugged them close to her. She was so jumpy lately.
“Where is Constance?” Jobeth asked
“She went to meet Pappy halfway,” Joanna sniffed, going to the counter to get cookies.
“Joanna, we are going to be eating soon. Get out of those,” Jobeth said through clenched teeth. She sat down heavily on the kitchen chair and rubbed her temples, which throbbed with pain. She felt wasted. She was twenty-eight and felt fifty.“ Joanna, take Pauline and Alan-Michael to meet your father, please,” Jobeth said, holding her head in the palm of her hands.
“Sure Mama.” Joanna obeyed, taking Pauline’s hand and heading for their brother.
Alan-Michael sat miserably on the couch, half-asleep. He didn’t want to go meet his father. At two years old, he didn’t like many things.
Joanna forced him out the door dragging him by the arm, whining. She wasn’t about to upset her mother any further.
Chapter 20 —